Shoe stretcher



Patented Jan. 12, 1937 UNET STA'ES FTENT QFFICE 7 Claims.

My invention relates to an appliance particularly designed for the stretching of shoes and has for its principal object, the provision of a relatively simple, practical and inexpensive device whereby the forward portion of a shoe that encloses the ball of the foot and the toes may be easily and conveniently stretched and the construction of the device being such that it may be expanded radially in practically all directions transversely of the shoe during the stretching operation.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a shoe stretcher of the character referred to wherein the expanding segments are mounted on internally arranged springs that yieldingly re- 'sist the expanding movement of said segments and which springs automatically return the segments to their normal positions as the segment expanded means is retracted.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a shoe stretcher wherein the expanding segments are provided at certain points with recesses for the reception of buttons that are intended to exert stretching pressure upon those portions of the shoe that overlie bunions or the like on the foot of the wearer.

With the foregoing and other objects in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:v

Fig. l is a side elevational View of a shoe stretcher constructed in accordance with my invention and with the heel brace shown in vertical section.

Fig. 2 is a view looking against the underside of the stretcher.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line fiof Fig. 3. l

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, i designates a block of such size and shape as to readily enter the rear and intermediate portion of a shoe and formed in the front portion of this block is a recess Ii.

Removably positioned in this recess and retained therein by means of screws I2 that pass through the rear portion of block iii, is a block I3 provided in its periphery with four longitudinally disposed grooves ill that are disposed substantially 90 apart. Seated in these grooves are the rear portions of flat springs i of resilient metal such as steel and overlying those portions of the springs that are seated in said grooves are retaining plates I6.

Screws i'I pass through the retaining plates and the underlying portions of springs I5 and the inner portions of said screws enter the block I3.

Formed through block i3 is an axially disposed aperture I0 that is in direct alignment with a threaded aperture i9 that is formed through block iii and passing through the apertures I8 and i9 is a shaft 2 having a threaded portion 2i that engages the threaded aperture I9.

Carried by the rear end of this shaft 20 is a handle 2l.

The sectional expanding portion of the stretcher that is positioned in front of block I0 has the general shape and contour of the forward portion of an ordinary shoe last in order that said member may be readily inserted into the forward portion of a shoe and said member, which may be formed of wood, metal, hard rubber or the like, is divided longitudinally on planes disposed at substantially right angles to each other so as to form a top member or segment 22, a bottom member or segment 23 and a pair of side members or segments 24.

The planes on which these segments are separated are disposed substantially 40 from vertical and horizontal planes and thus as the segments are expanded as hereinafter more fully described, the upper segment 22 will be moved vertically upward, lower segment 23 will move vertically downward and the side segments 24 will move simultaneously outward practically at right angles to the vertical movements of the upper and lower segments 22 and 23.

Formed on the inner face of each segment is a longitudinally disposed groove 25, the rear portions of which are increased slightly in depth for the accommodation of the forwardly projecting portions of the springs i5 and said springs are secured respectively to the segments in any suitable manner, preferably by means of screws 25.

Normally the springs I5 retain the segments in close assembled relation as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and by solid lines in Fig. 4.

The forward ends of the grooves 25 terminate a short distance inwardly from the forward ends of the segments and the forward portions of the bottoms of said grooves are curved so that they gradually decrease in depth until they meet the inner faces of the forward portions of the segments, said curved faces being designated by the numeral 26.

Mounted to rotate freely upon the forward end of shaft 2Q, is a head 21 having four longitudinally disposed ribs 28 that occupy and traverse the grooves `25 and the forward portions of the outer faces of these ribs gradually decrease in depth toward their forward ends as designated by 25 so as to engage the curved faces 26 at the vlike member that may be used for stretching the instep portion of the shoe upper, or that portion that lies immediately above the ball of the foot of the wearer.

Mounted on the threaded portion of the shaft 20 to the rear of block i is a grooved nut 32 and carried thereby, is a heel brace 33 which during use of the stretcher, presses against the counter inside the heel portion of the shoe and thereby forms an anchor to prevent the stretching segments from moving rearwardly within the Shoe that is being stretched.

Mounted on the threaded portion of shaft 20 between the heel brace and the block il), is a nut which may be adjusted forwardly or backwardly on the shaft 20 so as to provide an adjustable stop to limit the forward movement of the shaft through the block and into the expanding portion of the stretcher so as to limit such forward movement and thereby determine the degree of expansion of the segments.

' The underface of the intermediate portion of the lower segment 23 is scored or provided with small corrugations S in order that said lower member will tend to more firmly grip the upper surface of the insole of the shoe while the stretcher is being used and thus preventing all of the segments from tending to move forwardly in the shoe.

In the use of my improved stretcher, the segments in contracted relation with block I0, are inserted in the forward portion of the shoe and nut 32 is adjusted on the threaded portion of the shaft so as to engage the heel brace against the heel portion of the shoe upper.

Handle 2| is now manipulated to rotate shaft 20 and the threaded portion of the latter passes forwardly through nut 32 and through the block As the curved forward portions 29 of head 28 engage the correspondingly curved forward portions 25 of the grooves 25, the forward portions of the segments will be simultaneously spread radially so as to apply stretching pressure to all portions of the shoe surrounding the segments and during such actions the forward portions of the springs I 5 will iiex outwardly to permit the spreading or expanding movements of the segments. y

After the stretching operation, the shaft 2D is reversely rotated so as to withdraw the head 28 from engagement with the curved surface 26 and the springs l5 returning to their normal positions will draw the segments inwardly toward each other to their normal positions.

If it is necessary to stretch either side portion of the shoe upper for the accommodation of a bunion or the like, a button or buttons as illustrated by dotted lines, may have their Shanks inserted in the apertures 35.

Thus it will be seen'that I have provided a shoe stretcher that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and which made and substituted for those herein shown and I described witho-ut departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a shoe stretcher, a plurality of segments, the division lines between said segments being disposed in planes that occupy angular positions of approximately 45 relative to vertical and horizontal planes, a base, and a resilient member connecting each segment to said base. Y

2. In a shoe stretcher, a plurality of segments, the division lines between said segments being disposed in planes that occupyv angular positions of approximately 45 relative to vertical and horizontal planes, a base, a spring connecting each segment to said base, and means for simultaneously expanding all of saidsegments.

3. In a shoe stretcher, a plurality of segments, the division lines between said segments being disposed in planes that occupy angular positions of approximately 45 relative to vertical and horizontal planes, a base, a member removably ,seated in said base, a spring connecting each segment with the member in said base, and means for simultaneously expanding al1 of said segments.

4. In a shoe stretcher, a base, a member removably seated in said base, a last-like body .divided longitudinally to form upper and lower members, and a pair of side membersand yielding connections between the members of said last-like body and the member that is removably seated in said base.

5. In a shoe stretcher, a base, a member removably seated in said base, a last-like body divided longitudinally to form upper and lower members, and a pair of side members, yielding connections between the members of said lastlike body and the member that is removably seated in said base, and means forsimultaneously moving the members of said last-like body away from each other.

6. In a shoe stretcher, a base, a member removably seated in said base, a last-like body divided longitudinally to form upper and lower members and a pair of side members, a spring connecting the rear end of each of said members to the member that is seated in said base, and means for simultaneously moving said members away from each other.

'7. In a shoe stretcher, a base provided with a recess, a block positioned in said recess and detachably connected to said base, fiat springs secured to said block and projecting a substantial distance therefrom, a segmental'last member secured to the projecting portion of each spring, the inner portions of which las-t members are cut away to form a chamber, a rod having a threaded portion that is screw-seated in said base, said rod projecting through said block and into the chamber between the segmental last members and a block carried by the forward end of said rod for engaging the inner faces of the segmental last members to simultaneously move the same radially outward as the rod is screwed forward through the base. l

PAUL W. I-IORNADAY. 

